solitary

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Related to solitary: solitaire, card games

sol·i·tar·y

(sŏl′ĭ-tĕr′ē)

adj.

1. Existing, living, or going without others; alone: a solitary traveler. See Synonyms at alone.

2. Happening, done, or made alone: a solitary evening; solitary pursuits such as reading and sewing.

3. Remote from civilization; secluded: a solitary retreat.

4. Zoology Living alone or in pairs only: solitary wasps; solitary sparrows.

5. Single and set apart from others: a solitary instance of cowardice.

n. pl. sol·i·tar·ies

1. A person who lives alone; a recluse.

2. Solitary confinement.

[Middle English, from Old French solitaire, from Latin sōlitārius, from sōlitās, solitude, from sōlus, alone; see s(w)e- in Indo-European roots.]

sol′i·tar′i·ly (-târ′ə-lē) adv.

sol′i·tar′i·ness n.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

solitary

(ˈsɒlɪtərɪ; -trɪ)

adj

1. following or enjoying a life of solitude: a solitary disposition.

2. experienced or performed alone: a solitary walk.

3. (of a place) unfrequented

4. (prenominal) single; sole: a solitary speck in the sky.

5. having few companions; lonely

6. (Zoology) (of animals) not living in organized colonies or large groups: solitary bees; a solitary elephant. Compare social⁷, gregarious²

7. (Botany) (of flowers) growing singly

n, pl -taries

8. a person who lives in seclusion; hermit; recluse

9. (Law) informal short for solitary confinement

[C14: from Latin sōlitārius, from sōlus sole¹]

ˈsolitarily adv

ˈsolitariness n

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

sol•i•tar•y

(ˈsɒl ɪˌtɛr i)

adj., n., pl. -tar•ies. adj.

1. without companions; sole: a solitary passerby.

2. avoiding the society of others: a solitary existence.

3. by itself; singular: one solitary house.

4. marked by the absence of companions: a solitary journey.

5. done in solitude: solitary chores.

6. being the only one: a solitary exception.

7. characterized by solitude; secluded: a solitary cabin in the woods.

8. Zool. living habitually alone or in pairs, as certain wasps. Compare social (def. 7).

9. a person who lives alone or in solitude.

10. solitary confinement.

[1300–50; Middle English < Latin sōlitārius, derivative of sōlit(ās) solitude, derivative of sōl(us) sole¹ + -itās -ity]

sol`i•tar′i•ly, adv.

sol′i•tar`i•ness, n.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

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Noun	1.	solitary - confinement of a prisoner in isolation from other prisoners; "he was held in solitary" solitary confinement confinement - the state of being confined; "he was held in confinement"
	2.	solitary - one who lives in solitude recluse, solitudinarian, troglodyte, hermit lone hand, lone wolf, loner - a person who avoids the company or assistance of others
Adj.	1.	solitary - characterized by or preferring solitude; "a lone wolf"; "a lonely existence"; "a man of a solitary disposition"; "a solitary walk" lone, lonely unsocial - not seeking or given to association; being or living without companions; "the unsocial disposition to neglect one's neighbors"
	2.	solitary - of plants and animals; not growing or living in groups or colonies; "solitary bees" nongregarious, nonsocial ungregarious - (of animals) not gregarious
	3.	solitary - lacking companions or companionship; "he was alone when we met him"; "she is alone much of the time"; "the lone skier on the mountain"; "a lonely fisherman stood on a tuft of gravel"; "a lonely soul"; "a solitary traveler" lone, lonely, alone unaccompanied - being without an escort
	4.	solitary - being the only one; single and isolated from others; "the lone doctor in the entire county"; "a lonesome pine"; "an only child"; "the sole heir"; "the sole example"; "a solitary instance of cowardice"; "a solitary speck in the sky" lonesome, only, sole, lone single - existing alone or consisting of one entity or part or aspect or individual; "upon the hill stood a single tower"; "had but a single thought which was to escape"; "a single survivor"; "a single serving"; "a single lens"; "a single thickness"
	5.	solitary - devoid of creatures; "a lonely crossroads"; "a solitary retreat"; "a trail leading to an unfrequented lake" unfrequented, lonely uninhabited - not having inhabitants; not lived in; "an uninhabited island"; "gaping doors of uninhabited houses"

solitary

adjective

1. unsociable, retiring, reclusive, unsocial, isolated, lonely, cloistered, lonesome, friendless, companionless, hermitical Paul was a shy, pleasant, solitary man.
unsociable social, outgoing, sociable, gregarious, cordial, convivial, companionable

2. lone, alone His evenings were spent in solitary drinking.

3. isolated, remote, out-of-the-way, desolate, hidden, sequestered, unvisited, unfrequented a boy of eighteen in a solitary house in the Ohio countryside
isolated public, busy, frequented, bustling, well-frequented

Quotations
"If you are idle, be not solitary; if you are solitary, be not idle" [Dr. Johnson]

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

solitary

adjective

1. Set away from all others:

alone, apart, detached, isolate, isolated, lone, removed.

2. Lacking the company of others:

alone, companionless, lone, lonely, lonesome, single, unaccompanied.

3. Far from centers of human population:

back, insular, isolated, lonely, lonesome, obscure, outlying, out-of-the-way, remote, removed, secluded.

Idiom: off the beaten path.

4. Not friendly, sociable, or warm in manner:

aloof, chill, chilly, cool, distant, offish, remote, reserved, reticent, standoffish, unapproachable, uncommunicative, undemonstrative, withdrawn.

5. Alone in a given category:

lone, one, only, particular, separate, single, singular, sole, unique.

Idioms: first and last, one and only.

Translations

مُنْعَزِلمُنْفَرِدوَحيد، فَرْدي

ojedinělýosamocenýsamotářsamotářský

enligensomisolerettilbagetrukket

einsam einzig solitär

απομόνωση μονήρης

solitario único apartado

solitaire seul pur unique

egyedüli

einlífis-einneinsamall

solo unico singolo solitario solitudine

įkalinimas vienutėje

vienīgaisviensvientuļš

одинокий

samotársky

samoten

tektek biryalnızyalnız yaşayan

单独的独一的独居的独自的

solitary

[ˈsɒlɪtərɪ]

A. ADJ

1. (= lonely, lone) [person, life, childhood] → solitario
to take a solitary walk → dar un paseo solo, pasearse sin compañía
to feel rather solitary → sentirse solo, sentirse aislado

2. (= secluded) → retirado

3. (= sole) → solo, único
not a solitary one → ni uno (solo)
there has been one solitary case → ha habido un caso único
there has not been one solitary case → no ha habido ni un solo caso

B. N

1. (= person) → solitario/a m/f

2. = solitary confinement

C. CPD solitary confinement N to be in solitary confinement → estar incomunicado, estar en pelota

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

solitary

[ˈsɒlɪtəri]

adj

(= spending time alone) [person, animal] → solitaire

(= done or spent alone) [walk, life] → solitaire

(= without other people or things around) [figure, walker, tree, house] → solitaire

n (= solitary confinement) → mitard solitary confinement n → isolement m cellulaire
to be in solitary confinement → être à l'isolement

solitary

adj

(= alone, secluded) life, person → einsam; place → abgelegen, einsam; a few solitary houses → ein paar einzelne or vereinzelte Häuser; to take a solitary walk → allein einen Spaziergang machen; do you enjoy this solitary life? → gefällt Ihnen das Leben so allein?; in solitary splendour → in einsamer Pracht; a solitary person → ein Einzelgänger m, → eine Einzelgängerin; I’m not a solitary drinker → ich trinke nicht gern allein; she ate a solitary dinner → sie nahm ein einsames Mahl

(= sole) case, example, goal → einzig; with the solitary exception of … → mit alleiniger Ausnahme von …; not a solitary one → kein Einziger

n (= solitary confinement) → Einzelhaft f

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

solitary

[ˈsɒlɪt/ərɪ] adj (alone, secluded) → solitario/a; (sole, example, case) → solo/a, unico/a
not a solitary one → neanche uno/a

solitary

(ˈsolitəri) adjective

1. alone; without companions. a solitary traveller.

2. living or being alone, by habit or preference. She was a solitary person.

3. single. not a solitary example.

ˈsolitude (-tjuːd) noun

the state of being alone. He likes solitude; He lives in solitude.

solitary confinement

imprisonment in a cell by oneself. He was sentenced to six months' solitary confinement.

References in classic literature ?

The system here, is rigid, strict, and hopeless solitary confinement.

View in context

Now, to any one not fully acquainted with the ways of the leviathans, it might seem an absurdly hopeless task thus to seek out one solitary creature in the unhooped oceans of this planet.

View in context

The appearance of such a train, in that bleak and solitary place, was rendered the more remarkable by the fact, that the surrounding country offered so little, that was tempting to the cupidity of speculation, and, if possible, still less that was flattering to the hopes of an ordinary settler of new lands.

View in context

Death was in that poisonous wave, And in its gulf a fitting grave For him who thence could solace bring To his lone imagining -- Whose solitary soul could make An Eden of that dim lake.

View in context

Southward, with low funnel belching forth fire and smoke into the blackness of the night, the huge engine, with its solitary saloon carriage and guard's brake, thundered its way through the night towards the great metropolis.

View in context

Many solitary figures he perceives creeping through the streets; many solitary figures out on heaths, and roads, and lying under haystacks.

View in context

One comes upon such men!" she repeated, and then read out the words, "Unstained, lofty, and solitary existences."

View in context

The rainy season of the autumnal equinox was now come, and I kept the 30th of September in the same solemn manner as before, being the anniversary of my landing on the island, having now been there two years, and no more prospect of being delivered than the first day I came there, I spent the whole day in humble and thankful acknowledgments of the many wonderful mercies which my solitary condition was attended with, and without which it might have been infinitely more miserable.

View in context

Mountain Glens.- Wandering Band of Savages- Anecdotes of Shoshon- ies and Flatheads.- Root Diggers- Their Solitary Lurking Habits.- Gnomes of the Mountains.- Wind River.- Scarcity of Food.-Alteration of Route.-The Pilot Knobs or Tetons.- Branch of the Colorado.

View in context

We were interrupted in the delightfull Employment by the entrance of Augustus, (Edward's freind) who was just returned from a solitary ramble.

View in context

Reflection must be reserved for solitary hours; whenever she was alone, she gave way to it as the greatest relief; and not a day went by without a solitary walk, in which she might indulge in all the delight of unpleasant recollections.

View in context

Observant persons, accustomed to frequent the London parks, can hardly have failed to notice the number of solitary strangers sadly endeavoring to vary their lives by taking a walk.